I have the privilege of being a pastor in Seattle, Washington. Like most places, Seattle comes with good and bad. There is the beautiful skyline with the iconic Space Needle and the majestic Mount Rainier towering as an omnipresent backdrop. There are three pristine National Parks within a day’s reach. Ferries connect to wonderful coastal [...]
Our family dining room table was the biggest personal sentimental loss from the Paradise, California, fires in November 2018. Now, there was nothing particularly remarkable about my family's table. It was a long, narrow, laminated particle board table. My parents had purchased this table set soon after they finished seminary. It was the best they [...]
Friday morning is a high point in our household. A special event takes place in the morning hours that my little son looks forward to with much anticipation: The garbage truck comes to pick up the trash. Though he can’t talk yet, he smiles and enthusiastically blows kisses towards any trash can that he sees [...]
As parents, we want to raise our children to know and love God, nurture their spiritual growth and teach them the values of love, forgiveness and grace. Believe me, this journey as Christian parents is not without its challenges, but amidst the ups and downs it is crucial we model God's grace to kids. When [...]
Anxiety, ADHD, behavior problems and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children. In fact, almost 10% of kids aged 3-17 have been diagnosed with anxiety.1 Back-to-school anxiety after a long summer break is very common among children. Anxiety can manifest in various forms, including being separated from parents/pets (separation anxiety), as a [...]
What does it mean to be an effective leader in an unjust society? We live in a time of polarization and pendulum swings. Politicians stoke the fires of our worst fears and grievances; they point out all the flaws of their opponents while lacking the introspection to contemplate their own. Grievance politics has tapped into [...]
I love gardening — it’s one of my favorite hobbies. It’s relaxing to plant things and see them grow throughout the year. Over the years I have developed a very nice garden, but I have a small problem. A few years ago, my husband wanted a mint plant, and against my better judgment I planted it in my main garden space. For the first year [...]
When my daughter was in elementary school at our local Adventist Academy, she had a senior mentor as part of the Partnering For Eternity program. The Partnering for Eternity scholarship program has been helping cultivate relationships between mentors and students at Adventist academies and elementary schools since 2006. We had such a great experience with [...]
